All the Pretty People
by poeticgrace
Summary: Vince has thirty days to prove to Eric that this can be better, that he can be better.
1. Chapter 1

"Thirty days – you're in, you're out. It won't be so bad. In fact, it'll probably do you some good. Your lucky that this is all you're getting, Vin, it could have been a lot worse. Just keep your head down and follow the rules. We can get you through this."

That was the promise that E made three minutes before walking him into the new-age rehab center somewhere in the Nevada desert between Los Angeles and Vegas. The last thing Vince thought he needed was to spend a month in rehab, but the courts had told him it was either this or spend the next thirty days with a cellmate named Bubba who thought he was as pretty as the girl he'd screwed a couple weeks ago at some club. He still didn't think he had a problem, but E said the scars on his face said otherwise. Vince had wanted to argue but then remembered how gnarly his face had looked that night in the emergency room. A standard-issue PSA and 100 hours of community service with a couple years of probation thrown in there weren't going to fix this for him. No, for once, Vince was actually going to have to deal with the ramifications of his decisions.

The sun was high in the sky as the two of them sat alone in the Aston Martin. Sasha was long gone by that point, and Sloan had broken their engagement almost a month ago. Eric had never told him why they broke up but Vince suspected that it definitely had something to do with him. Whenever he tried to talk to his best friend about it, E had only ducked his head and told him not to worry. They had other things to focus on, and like always, E had made it his personal responsibility to get Vince back on track. Not even the judge's threats, his mom's yelling or Ari's belligerent rant had scared him as much as the quiet way Eric had spoken to Vince the night he bailed him out of County. He had only said, "You really fucked up, Vince," once before the other guys had dragged him out to the car. Somehow knowing that he had disappointed E had been the worst part of all of this, and Vince had vowed to make the next month about making his best friend proud again.

He felt like a little kid now as he walked across the parking lot, clutching his bag in his hand. The rehab center looked more like a hospital, though there were a few spacious flower gardens on either side of the building and a nice fountain out front. "See, not so bad," E said, nudging his best friend as they walked along. Turtle and Johnny had offered to come with, but Vince had insisted that he only wanted Eric there. "You're quiet. You ready for this?"

"Not even," Vince answered honestly, stopping short to study his best friend. E reached out and squeezed his shoulder before pulling Vince to him. Vince hugged him back tightly, his shoulders shaking slightly from unshed tears. Eric pulled back enough to meet his eyeline, and Vince felt guilty all over again for seeing those little concern wrinkles forming in the corner of his eyes. "Come on, E, remind me that I can do this."

"You can, I have faith," Eric confirmed. "I'm just sad because you're leaving me with the morons for the next month while you get to flirt with pretty nurses and meditate and probably work on your tan." Vince smiled in the way that he reserved only for E, though neither of them really ever acknowledged it. "I'll visit every chance they let me. I think you can have visitors next weekend. I'll even bring the kids with me. I'm sure they miss you already."

Vince laughed at the mention of Turtle and Johnny. They had always said that it was terrible when Vince and Eric were fighting because it was like watching their parents not get along. Things had been pretty bad there for awhile, but now that Vince was getting help, the family was better that it had been in a long time.

A stout, African American nurse was already waiting for them when they came through the front door. "Hi, there Mr. Chase, I'm Lena, we've been expecting you." Vince looked at the nurse and mustered a brave smile while Eric handed over the requisite paperwork. "You can say goodbye to your friend here. I'm going to go ahead and take your bag so that the staff can look through it. And please don't worry, we act on a strict confidentiality clause, so I promise that your privacy will be respected as if you were any other patient."

Turning to his best friend, Vince suddenly looked like a scared little kid. It reminded E of the way Vince had looked in fifth grade that time E slept over and Vince's dad came home drunk. There had been a trip to the emergency room that night when Mr. Chase had nearly broken Vince's eye socket. Well, they had survived that, and now, they would survive this.

"Alright, man, it's just one week," E whispered as he hugged Vince again. It made him even sadder the way that Vince clung to him a little. "I'll be here on Saturday with the guys. Can you hang in there until then?"

"Besides the separation anxiety?" Vince smirked. "I think I can manage. Just come back, okay?"

"I'll be here, I promise," Eric pledged. "I think the paperwork said you can call after 48 hours. Just call my cell, I'll make sure that it's on me at all times. And if you need anything before then, you have someone at the hospital get in touch with me. This place is supposed to be the best, Vin. Trust me, I checked. You need this, try to remember that."

"Okay," Vince said, his voice small. He was willing himself not to cry as Eric hugged him again. "Thanks again for being here, E. I know that I probably don't deserve it, but I appreciate it more than anything."

Eric locked eyes with Vince and nodded slightly. "You need me, you make them call. Got it?"

Vince hugged Eric once before before the nurse ushered him into the hospital and out of E's view. He could hear him talking to the admitting nurse in a soft voice, giving her his contact information in case of an emergencies. "Just this way, Mr. Chase," Lena directed him, pointing him toward a private room. She was quick with the pat down and patted his shoulder comfortingly afterward. "The first day is the hardest, and your friend already got you through the hard part. Detoxing is the worst. If you survived that, you can make it a month in here."

Over the next hour, Vince met his counselor briefly, took a quick tour of the sprawling estate that would be his home for the next four weeks and completed a full panel of blood and urine tests to prove that he was clean. A male orderly showed up eventually with his bags, which Lena told him had been searched without finding anything. Vince smiled proudly as the nurse smiled at him kindly. "C'mon, Vincent, let me show you to your room so you can meet your roommate."

He hadn't shared a room with anyone since he was twelve and his brother moved out to live with his girlfriend in the Bronx, so he wasn't exactly thrilled to be confined to close quarters with another guy that wasn't in his inner circle. There were a pair of twin beds, both made with uncomfortable standard-issue blankets and flat pillows. However, there was a sweatshirt thrown absently over the one nearest to the door, and a menagerie of junk spread across one of the cheap oak dressers on either side of the small closet.

"Hey, you must be my new roommate," a man called as he walked out of the bathroom and into the bedroom. He had sandy blonde hair and immediately reminded Vince of E with his size and stature. The stranger extended his hand toward Vince. "I'm Brett."

"Brett here is a pro at rehab," Lena said, narrowing her eyes at Brett. Vince took it that it wasn't his roommate's first go-round in rehab and made a mental note to steer clear of the man's bad habits. "Dinner is in an hour. You must be at the dinner by six if you want to eat or you will go hungry. You have your first appointment with your counselor in the morning, Vince, and group meets at ten sharp. I'll leave you for now to get settled in. If you have any questions, you can stop by the nurses' station."

"Thanks, Lena," Vince said warmly before dropping his bags onto the floor next to his bed. He immediately pulled back the comforter and sheets, stripping the mattress bare. Brett watched him curiously as Vince spread his own linens from home over the bed. Ari had had enough clients in rehab to give him a few pointers going in. Once the bed was made up with Egyptian cotton sheets, a down comforter and hypo-allergenic pillows, Vince felt a little more at home. He tossed an old t-shirt beneath one of the pillows and tucked a photo album along with the leather journal E got him for meetings into the bedside table. It wasn't a lot of personal effects, but it would do until he could talk to and see his boys again.

"Wait a minute!"

Vince looked up at Brett suddenly. "Yeah?"

"I just realized who you are," Brett chuckled proudly. Vince had dreaded this moment and suspected that there would be many more like that during his stay here. "You're that actor guy. You're Vincent Chase. You're Aquaman!"

"I am," he confirmed. "But in here, just call me Vince. I don't want to stand out or be any different."

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised," Brett lamented. "This is the place where all the pretty people are. They all have a story. What's yours, Vince? How did you end up here?"

So Vince told his story, how he had went on a six-month long bender between movies because he was a bored, self-absorbed star whose ego was too big to see how good he had it. He left out the part when his best friend got engaged and quit paying attention to him. Vince wasn't sure he was ready to deal with that part, figuring that the shrink would have a hay day with it. He talked about how he had dated a porn star who had given him drugs as freely as she had given him sex, how he had managed to hide it from the people who knew him best and how it all came tumbling down around him because he couldn't get his temper in check around Eminem.

"Wow, man, that's fucked up," Brett finally said once Vince was finished telling his story. "Who's this E person? Is that your girl or something?"

"Best friend."

"Hmm," Brett pondered. "I don't know, man. I've had the same best friend since fourth grade, and I don't think I've ever talked about him as passionately as you just talked about that cat."

Hours later, after dinner was over and the lights off were in his new bedroom, Vince stared up the ceiling and thought about his bed at home. It was just down the hall from E's room, the new one he was living in since he broke up with Sloan and moved back into the house. They had been staying up all night lately, Eric sitting dutifully by his side while he went through harsh withdrawals. They talked about old times when Vince wanted to keep things light and how things had changed when E wanted to get deep. They played virtual golf and watched the movies they'd grown up on and ate junk food on the living room couch until they fell asleep on either end. It felt a lot like that first year when E had come out to L.A., only with a lot better toys and a lot fewer girls. There wasn't any beer, no pot and definitely no other extracurricular chemicals allowed in the house. E was strick and Vince was thankful for it. His best friend was always strong for him when he was weak, but Vince knew that it was turn to be strong now for E. He had to get past this, to learn how to deal with his addiction, and he had thirty days to prove to Eric that he could do it.


	2. Chapter 2

Vince had managed to make it through forty-eight hours of rehab, enduring the awkward introduction during group where he told his sad story and avoided the relentless series of questions from the other patients interested in the superstar. He was one of a few celebrities currently checked into the facility, but his star shone far brighter than the actor, two models and indie musician who shared the same center as he. While it was difficult to stay humble and not get agitated at the other curious patients, he smiled his way through it and was glad when they got used to him after a day. Thankfully, Lena had been right and the staff didn't seem to care too much that he was sort of famous. His counselor told him as much within the first five minutes of their session.

"Look, Mr. Chase, I'm going to level with you," Dr. Jameson had said. "I've seen a lot of famous people in this office, and a lot of them think that the fact that I knew their name before they walked in here makes them special. Well, I am here to tell you that it doesn't mean a damn thing. I expect you to do the work just like you are anyone else. In fact, since the court tells me that you have to be here, I expect you to work harder."

And Vince had worked hard during that first session, telling Dr. Jameson about his family and how he had come out to Los Angeles and what had made him start doing drugs in the first place. He talked about the relationships that he'd had that mattered – mostly just Mandy and Sasha – and told him about his close-knit group of friends that he shared his life with. Dr. Jameson asked him more about Turtle, Johnny and Eric than he had his family or the women. When Vince asked why after his session was over, Dr. Jameson had told him because those were the people that Vince seemed to want to get better for.

"You're pretty smart there, Doc," Vince confessed. "I guess they are the people who count day in and day out. I mean, yeah, there is my ma, but she's back in New York. The guys are there every day with me, every step of the way. They feel all my stuff as hard as I feel it, and in the case of E, probably even harder. Shauna and Ari watch my back with my career, but my boys watch my back everywhere."

"We'll talk a little bit more about that the next time we meet," Dr. Jameson promised, patting him on the shoulder as he ushered him out into the hallway. "I have confidence that you can do this, Vince. You just do your part and I'll do mine, and we'll make sure that you get your life back on track."

Vince had taken a lot of time since the session considering Dr. Jameson's words. Yeah, those were the guys that he wanted to get better for, but he also knew that he needed to do it for himself. That was what Eric had told him before they got there and a big part of what they talked about in group. He had listened to story after story of failed attempts to get sober and wondered why his own hadn't been hard so far. Then he realized that he hadn't really been out there clean. He didn't know what it was going to be like to be at parties or around Turtle when he wanted to smoke up. He just knew that he wouldn't fail like they had because he had a secret weapon. He had E. Even if they didn't think that you could stay sober for someone else, Vince just didn't agree. One look into his best friend's eyes and remembering how E had cried the night he had broken up with Sloan because of him was all that he needed to stay clean. He had made his best friend a promise, and for once, he wasn't going to let him down.

"Alright, Mr. Chase," Lena announced, poking her head through the open door in his bedroom. "It's your turn for the phone. You get ten minutes. Don't even try to go over because we will cut you off."

Vince's face lit up immediately. This was his reward for being good and the one thing he had been looking forward to most since arriving at the center. He wasn't used to the early days, doing chores or the rigorous schedule where every little thing was planned out for him, and it would be so easy to be angry and bitter about it. However, he knew that one misstep meant that his phone privileges would be revoked, and Vince wasn't about to lose his chance to talk to E.

His hands were nearly shaking as he dialed the phone. It only took one ring for E to pick up on the other side. "Vin," Eric said, clearly exhaling from relief. "Thank God, man. How are you holding up?"

"I'm doing okay, E, I promise," he replied, clutching the phone to his chin. He closed his eyes and just listened to the slight Queens accent that was still there in E's voice. It made him suddenly homesick and reminded him of skipping class in high school just to hang out with his best friend. "How are you? How are the other guys? You guys holding up without me?"

"Barely, but we're managing," E chuckled. "Drama is having your room completely redone as a reward for getting sober. Don't worry, I'm making sure to oversee everything so that he doesn't go overboard. Turtle has been working a lot and keeping his nose clean. We had a little talk, and he knows that things have to change around here permanently. Ari is working on getting you that script, and Shauna is keeping everything good on her end. They're going to send you some stuff later this week so you can read while you're there. We gotta find you that next project."

"Sounds good," Vince retorted absently. "What about you, E?"

"Like I said, we're managing," he repeated, sounding suddenly very tired. Vince knew that this had taken a huge toll on Eric. "We just need to get through this and come home. I need you to come home. I can't handle these two without you."

"I miss you, too, E."

"Yeah," E almost whispered, and Vince could just hear the smile in his voice. "I haven't been sleeping. Drama is on me about eating. I just drink coffee and work because I don't really know what else to do. I guess I didn't realize how much of my life you took up until you weren't here for me to arrange my day around."

From anyone else, it would have sounded like a complaint, but Vince knew that it wasn't like that at all for Eric. He genuinely missed all the space Vince took up. So to change the subject, he told Eric about his roommate, about some of the people from group and what his counselor was like. He complained about the food, talked about Lena and bragged a little bit about all the pool time he got in the afternoons. He filled the next several minutes with funny stories to make his best friend laugh and reveled any time he got to hear the hearty chuckle he had come to expect over the years. And when Lena came back and told him that it was time to go, Vince felt himself getting choked up.

"Alright, I guess that's my cue," Vince lamented sadly. "I'll call you again in a few days. Tell the guys that I said hello and pet Arnold for me. I'll let you know what I think of the scripts when I get them. I promise to even actually read them this time."

"We'll see about that, Vin," Eric scoffed. "You hang in there, man, okay? It sounds like you're doing well, and we're all out here pulling for you."

"Thanks, E," Vince replied. "And you're coming up on Sunday, right?"

"Of course," Eric promised. "The guys and I will be there by noon as promised."

"Great, except, um, maybe just you this time, E. Is that okay?"

"They'll understand, Vince," E retorted. "I'll make them understand."

After he had hung up, Vince thanked Lena for his phone time and went back to his room. Brett was playing cards with some other patients in the rec room, but Vince didn't feel much like socializing. Instead, he opted to pull out an old photo album and look at faded snapshots from his past. There were ones of his family, a few nameless girls he didn't really remember, Turtle and Drama their first in Los Angeles and hundreds of Vince and Eric in different places at different ages. His favorite was one of them taken the first year after Eric had come from the city, when they were all holed up in Drama's dirty apartment in the Valley. They had been so young and hopeful then, long before they had been jaded by the lights of Hollywood. They were just two young kids from New York, their arms slung over each others' shoulders, not a care in the world or the slightest clue about what was to come their way.

The next morning at his next session with Dr. Jameson, Vince was a little more withdrawn that he had been during the first session. Talking to E had made him miss home, so it took the counselor a little more time to draw the actor out of his shell. He asked him a few questions about his career and talked about coping mechanisms. Vince listened, jotting notes in his journal like he knew that he was supposed to do and nodding in all the appropriate places. He treated it like a business meeting with Ari, although he didn't have E around to fill in all the holes when he quit paying attention.

"Alright, Vince, I wanted to talk a little more about your friends. Can you tell me about them?" Dr. Jameson asked. "Did they ever help you get drugs? Did they know you were using?"

Vince looked down at his hands and shook his head. "I mean, sure, we smoked weed, but the other stuff, they never did it," he explained. "E really doesn't do it much anymore, only when we guilt him into relaxing. But as soon as the guys realized I had a problem, they got rid of everything. No alcohol, no drugs, nothing was in the house. They took it seriously from the very first moment. They didn't know that I was on anything until it was too late. I don't know if I was that good at hiding it or if they just didn't want to see it. It was a really busy time, and I was bored. E had his thing with Sloan and Turtle was in school and Johnny was finally working steadily. I had a lot of down time and no one to spend it with."

Dr. Jameson wrote something on his yellow legal pad, nodding thoughtfully as he scrawled a few notes down. "Do you think you wanted some attention?"

"I guess, maybe, I'm not sure," he admitted. "I was pretty used to being the center of everything, and suddenly everyone had something going on but me. It's not like the guys weren't around because they were. It just wasn't the same as it had always been."

"Change can be difficult, especially after years of living a lifestyle like yours. Did you resent them for not being there?"

Vince kind of shrugged and shook his head. "Not really, or at least, that's not what it felt like at the time," he tried to explain. "It was one thing after another, getting hurt and then being bored and lonely. It just happened, and I honestly thought that I had a handle on it. And then I found myself lying to Ari and my brother and Turtle. And then I lied to E, and man, I had never really lied to him before. Sure, everyone else, but never E. There was never a reason before."

"And what was your reason?"

"I didn't want him to be disappointed."

"And when he found out, was Eric disappointed?"

"Kind of, but it was a lot more than that," Vince told Dr. Jameson. "He was more scared than anything and anybody. He dropped everything to help me get through it. That's how it's always been with us. Sloan didn't like that. She didn't understand. I tried to tell E that he was going to lose her, but he said that if she loved him, she would understand. I know that she loved him, but it's hard to be second to someone else."

"That's something you know quite well, isn't it, Vince?"

He nodded sheepishly, a slight crimson spreading over his cheeks. "Yeah, I guess so."

"Mr. Chase, have you and Eric ever discussed that you have a codependent relationship?"

"An ex-girlfriend of E's, before Sloan, was a psych student. She was always saying stuff like that. I just thought she was jealous, but maybe she was right."

"Perhaps," Dr. Jameson agreed, "but I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing. I just think it is how yo two cope. I also think that you need to examine that relationship internally because I suspect that there is something to the big picture that you're not missing."

Vince tried to figure out what the counselor meant before everything clicked. "Nah, man, it's not like that for E and me," he shook his head. And then he thought about how jealous he had been of Sloan and the sick feeling he got when he realized he was happy that they had broken up and how happy he had been to have E to himself again. "Well, I don't think it is..."

"Vincent, I am not saying that there are romantic feelings there, I just think that you have buried some things for a very long time. It's my job to help you figure out how to cope with those things so that you don't have to turn to alcohol and drugs when it all becomes too much. We need to take an honest assessment of your problems and emotions if you are going to work through this."

Dr. Jameson wrote down a few questions on a piece of legal paper and handed over to Vince. "I want you to think about these questions before we meet on Monday. Eric will be here on Sunday. Spend some time with him and then take a few minutes that night to answer them. You need to be honest with yourself and hopefully honest with me. I'm not saying that Eric was your catalyst, but I truly believe that figuring this out will be a huge part of your recovery."


	3. Chapter 3

The thing about rehab, the thing that no one told you, was that by the time you walk out, there isn't an emotion you haven't felt. Vince figured that out about five days into his stay at the center after a particularly long group session when he had walked in feeling happy and came out feeling like he had been through the ringer. It was tiring just talking about how they felt, why they did things, what choices they made and every other tiny detail that made up their lives. He was used to playing a range of different feelings but that was all just an act. This was the real deal and it was exhausting.

When he had first started acting, Vince used to spend hours in front of the mirror studying his face. He would try on different expressions, contorting his mouth and his eyes to fit all these feelings that his characters were supposed to feel. It was forced and it always came across that way. It was only when he started to relate to the characters, put himself in their shoes, that it became an organic process for him. That was the process he had adopted in rehab. Whenever he couldn't quite capture how he felt about something that happened weeks, months or even years ago, he would put himself back in that moment and it would just come to him. Dr. Jameson agreed to seem that it was working well for Vince, and for once, his chosen profession was good for something other than a big payday and a hot girl.

Vince was feeling about a billion different things that morning as he looked at himself in the mirror, wondering if everyone could see the confusion and fear dancing in his famously beautiful eyes. Today was the day that he had been looking forward to since getting to the hospital eight days ago; Eric was finally coming for a visit. Brett's parents had already arrived from San Francisco, leaving Vince alone in their shared room to get ready. E was supposed to be there in time for lunch, although Vince wasn't sure he would be able to eat with the butterflies that were currently fluttering in his stomach. He hadn't been this nervous in nearly a decade, and even then, it had been when he had auditioned for his first Vicks commercial. He had never been this nervous about seeing a girl and especially not about hanging out with his best friend. However, Vince figured this was pretty much the most important thing he had ever done because the only thing that mattered right now besides his sobriety was fixing things with Eric.

Shaking off the jitters, Vince sat on the edge of his bed and retrieved the t-shirt he had stashed under his pillow that very first day. He fingered the worn cotton gingerly before burying his nose in it. It still smelled the same as it did that day when he had first stolen it. No one knew that Vince carried it around with him like a security blanket, clinging to it whenever he felt lost and alone. Stolen from Eric just a few days before Vince came out to Los Angeles and a few days after their high school graduation, it was just an old Mets shirt that E had probably long forgot that he even owned. But for Vince, that shirt represented a kind of safety and security that kept him grounded. It had gotten him through that first homesick year, days in Mexico after his world had fallen apart and a long summer in New York when E had finally walked out on him.

Once he had hidden his shirt again, Vince went back to getting ready. E would be there any minute, and for some reason, he needed everything to be perfect. The room had already been straightened, and Vince was the usual kind of messy beautiful that worked for him. He was just about to start pacing the floor when he heard the familiar voice in his doorway. "Wow, you haven't slept in a twin bed since you were a kid."

Turning on his heel, he knew that his whole face lit up as he rushed forward to hug Eric in the most manly way he could manage. E squeezed him extra hard before he pulled away. Vince pulled him by the elbow into the room and shut the door after him. "Damn, it's really fucking good to see you," he grinned, not at all caring that he probably looked like a fool. Eric chuckled as he looked around the room. He sat on the edge of Vince's bed and took in the view. "It's not much, but it's home for now."

Eric leaned over and picked up the album from the nightstand. He smiled boyishly at a photograph of Vince and Eric sitting out by the pool at the Malibu house, one that Vince had pulled loose last night when he had been missing his best friend. "It's not so bad," E said, grinning up at his friend. "I'm glad you're doing well, Vin. I brought some cookies from Drama and Turtle sent a few magazines. That nurse, Lena, is going to test one of the cookies and then you should be able to have them. He told me to tell you that he didn't use milk so they should be fine."

Vince came over and sat down next to Eric, allowing his shoulder to rest against his. "Tell him I appreciate it and that I miss them both," he replied.

E nodded and nudged his shoulder against Vince's. "So tell me what you've been doing here."

"Talking...a lot."

"About?"

"About everything," he answered. "I talk about drugs and Sasha and my family. I talk about my career and the pressure from Ari and what it's like to be famous. I talk about growing up in Queens and what it's like for me out here and why I do the things that I've done. I talk about my vices and my bad habits and why I use them to avoid feeling anything real. I talk about Drama and Turtle and how important their friendship is. And I talk about you and how much you mean to me and how you were the one person who helped me after everything else fell apart."

"Vin..."

"E, I need to apologize," Vince said suddenly. "I've been thinking about this a lot. Not just for the obvious stuff like fucking up my career and lying to you and putting you through all of that. I need to apologize to you for the toll that it took on everything with Sloan. It's not fair, you know? You should get to have a life that I don't fuck up for you."

Eric rested his hand on Vince's forearm and shook his head. "You're not the reason that Sloan and I aren't together. Well, it's not your fault at least," he tried to explain. "Sloan wasn't there when I needed her to support me. There is nothing that I won't do for you, Vince, and she knew that going in. I needed her to be there for me and be there for you last summer and she couldn't do that. She told me that I had to choose, and I warned her that she wouldn't like the choice that I made. I wasn't walking away from you, Vince, not when you needed me the most. That's not how this – how we – work. She knew that about me and she still made the ultimatum. It was over right then."

"You shouldn't have to pick."

"I shouldn't," E agreed, "but you didn't do that. You didn't stay that it was you or Sloan. Yeah, I know that the engagement kind of messed with things a little bit, but you never told me that I had to pick. You supported me and were happy for me when I needed that. I should have paid more attention. That's what I'm sorry for. I didn't want to see what was going on right in front of me. You think you did a good job of hiding it, but I should have seen it. No one knows you better than me, just like you know me better than anyone else. I'm sorry that I wasn't there when you needed me."

"You're here now, that's all that matters," Vince reassured him. "From the moment that you knew I needed you, you have been there for me. You never missed a step since then, E, and you need to know that none of this is your fault. It's mine. I get that now. I'm responsible for me, even if I want to let you make my decisions."

"Wow, you're really growing up," Eric laughed wryly, both of them trying to act as if there weren't tears pricking in their eyes. "I guess all that talking has been good for you, huh?"

Vince nodded and smiled a little. "I've had a lot of time to think."

"Oh, yeah? Any good thoughts?"

"A few," he retorted with a slight chuckle. "You know one of the things we've talked about is how we're not supposed to be in a relationship after we got out for at least a year. I kept thinking to myself, how do I do that? I thought it was impossible. And then this woman started asking questions, tips and ways of coping if you are already in a relationship. The counselor had her go through defining what a relationship was and then it hit me."

"What did?"

"What a relationship is to me," Vince explained. This is what he had talked to Dr. Jameson about yesterday. This was the thing that he was supposed to tell Eric. "I've had a lot of people come in and out of my life, E, a lot. Very few people have ever stuck it out with me, through the good and the bad, no matter what. When this went down, I got to see who was really there for me. You know what I saw?" Eric shook his head, his eyes as wide as saucers. "I saw that you were the one person who was there. You were my definition of stability. You're the longest fucking relationship I'm ever going to have."

"Vin..." Eric's voice trailed off. He looked scared. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying what you already know, E," he answered. "How did I miss it? After Kristen and after Mandy, after Sasha and Sloan...all those weeks in the house, that was what it could have been like if I had seen it earlier. You got me through that by loving me. It sucked but you saw me through."

It had been a long time since Eric had thought about this, not since the fall after he had ended things with Kristen for good. She had always accused him of being codependent with Vince, and during those cool autumn months, he finally saw what she meant. They worked in tandem in meetings, with the guys, when they were out with girls. Taking care of Vince's career was what had gotten him through that breakup, just like taking care of Vince's life had gotten him through ending things with Sloan. He had known then that it wasn't exactly healthy and that he wasn't even ready to begin to think about what it meant. He had never looked at any guy the way he was starting to look at Vince, and there was no way that could end good for either of them.

"Vince, I don't think we should be talking about this now."

"No, I just needed to say that so you would know. I've talked to Dr. Jameson about it more in abstract, and he encouraged me to talk to you. I'm not asking you to give me an answer or to even feel the same. I just needed you to know so that you could think if maybe that's something you would want. I don't know what it would mean, but I know that it would be messy for both of us. And they may tell me that I'm not ready, but they'd be wrong. How can I not be ready for a relationship that I've been in pretty much my whole life? With you, E, that's where I belong."


	4. Chapter 4

"So I told him."

Dr. Jameson looked over the rims of his thick glasses with raised eyebrows and nodded thoughtfully at Vince. Even though it had been a week since Eric's visit and this was the first time Vince had mentioned it, he didn't look at all surprised but instead rather pleased that Vince had taken his advice seriously and talked to E when he came to the rehab center. "And how did that go?"

Vince raked his fingers through his dark curls nervously. He had done nothing but think about E's visit since he had driven off a week ago. They had a good day together, the best one that Vince could remember in awhile. Eric was quiet at first, clearly still caught up in Vince's confession, but he had eventually loosened up (as much as E ever relaxed) enough to enjoy himself. They had walked around a lot, talking about the guys and prospects for some projects when Vince got out. They talked about old times back in Queens and Vince's mom and Eric's parents. And when they had run out of things to talk about, they had been content to be quiet, sitting side by side on a bench in a remote corner of the gardens. With E's knee pressed against his, Vince knew that everything was going to find a way to work out.

"It went surprisingly well," Vince answered. "I mean, of course E freaked out a little bit at first, but I told him that I just needed him to know for now. I want to give him time to think about it, and if he decides that maybe this is something he wants, then we can talk about it when he's ready."

"And do you think that rushing into relationship is a good idea?"

"Look, Dr. Jameson, I get that I have to work the steps and commit myself to the program in order for this to work. I am willing to give up my old habits and go to meetings and make amends. I will do pretty much anything it takes to make sure that I have my sobriety. The one thing that I don't buy into is that I have to give up E in the process. I can have him in my life, we can be together, without it messing up everything else. It might not work for everyone, but I know myself and I know E and I know how we are together."

His counselor furrowed his brow a little and cleared his throat. "Vincent, there is a reason that they encourage people to wait so long to get into a relationship. It is so that you don't automatically go into this place where your partner is the reason you are staying sober. That's a dangerous burden and quite a heavy one for someone to carry. Because if something goes wrong, well, your chances of failing are quite daunting. That's why the program urges you to wait at least a year so that you know you can stand on your own. It's like coming back from physical therapy. You have to build up your strength."

"With all due respect, sir, I've been in this thing with Eric for a hell of a lot longer than I did drugs. E is a huge part of why I'm getting sober, and from where I stand, that's not such a bad thing. It shouldn't really matter why I am committed to living clean, just that I am doing it," Vince pointed out. "And if anything, E has just proven that he is willing to carry that burden. It's something we've both been doing our entire lives. People think that he's the only caretaker, but I think – no, I know – that he would tell you that I take care of him, too. It might not work for everyone else. It might not even work for you all, but this is the one time I will tell you that I don't give a damn. This is how it's going to be."

"Alright," Dr. Jameson smiled widely, "that gives us a great place to start." So they spent the next half hour going over some things that Vince needed to work on when it came to his relationship with Eric. They talked about alternative coping mechanisms, techniques for fostering open communications and helpful ways for Vince to engage Eric in his recovery process. Dr. Jameson also promised to get some information to E on different support groups he could check out and some literature to read. "The last thing I want to ask of you for today is pretty simple. Your assignment this week is to ask Eric to come to a family session next Sunday. The two of you will meet with me on on one so that we can have an open discussion about expectations going forward."

Later that evening, after Lena had retrieved Vince for his appointed phone time, he sat alone in the small sitting room, waiting to hear some connection to the outside world. When he heard Turtle's voice on the other end, Vince nearly started bawling. He was really starting to miss all of his friends. "Turtle, man, how are you?"

"Vin!" Turtle chuckled. "Managing, how are you? E says you're doing real good."

"I'm making progress," he agreed. "You been going out?"

"Nah, we've just been hanging around the house actually," Turtle told him. "Drama is on a health kick right now, so he's been going to bed really early and cooking all this weird shit. E works all day, but he hasn't been doing very long hours. I guess with his star client out of commission, he's not quite as busy. I'm back in school, taking a few more classes and stuff. It's pretty boring without you, Vin. You gotta hurry up and come home soon."

"Working on it, man," Vince laughed. "Hey, is my brother around?"

"Sure thing," Turtle said before covering the receiver. "Yo, Drama! Vince is on the phone!"

Vince could hear both E and Drama holler something back to Turtle before Johnny picked up the line. "Baby Bro!"

"Hey, Johnny," Vince smiled. Out of all his biological family, Johnny had always been the one person other than his ma that Vince needed. He had always protected the youngest Chase brother, fighting his fights so that no one got to him. "Turtle said you're on another health kick."

"Gotta get into top physical form," Johnny retorted with his usual false bravado. "I've got an audition for a M.O.W. with Maureen McCormick. Fuckin' Marcia Brady, can you believe it? She's still pretty hot." The two brothers talked for a minute more before Johnny muffled the phone. "Geez, E, calm the fuck down. Here, you can talk to him."

Vince smiled privately to himself when he heard E's quiet, "Hi." He could tell by the sounds in the background that he was walking down the hallway toward his bedroom for some privacy. "How's it going? Good week?"

"Two down, two to go," Vince answered truthfully. "It was nice to talk to the guys, but I'm glad to hear your voice."

"Yeah," Eric chuckled nervously. Vince could almost see the way he was probably rubbing the back of his neck in his head. It was his tell, the same one that he had since they were kids. "I've been kind of out of it all week, just waiting for you to call."

Another involuntary smile crossed his face. "Good. I mean, I'm glad you still wanted to talk to me after what I said the other day. I know it was kind of out of left field and a lot to take in, so it's good that this isn't weird."

"It wasn't as out of left field as you maybe though, Vin," E retorted. "At least that's what Sloan said when I talked to her."

"You talked to Sloan?" Vince asked, hoping that his jealousy didn't come through. "When? Why?"

"She brought the ring back. She asked about you, and I guess that kind of set me off. After I calmed down enough to talk to her, we had a pretty good conversation. She told me that the only person I had ever fully committed myself to was you and that maybe it was time we made something of that rather than torturing women by letting them think that a relationship with you or me is going to go anywhere. She also told me that she was sorry for some of the things she said. I don't know. It felt nice, final. We got peace."

Vince was quiet for a moment. "Well, that's good then."

"And I also took the ring back and got quite a nice little deposit for that trip we talked about," E said. "I'm thinking that we make this one a solo vacation, a private celebration for just us. I'll fly the guys out later, but we have some stuff to work out."

"I like the sound of that," Vince confessed, his voice happier than it had been since the day he had seen Eric at rehab. "Speaking of working out stuff, I know we still have a lot to figure out and talk about. Dr. Jameson, my counselor, would like you to come down for a joint session next Sunday. It's family day or whatever. Can you make it out?"

"I'll be there."

"And don't tell the guys that it's family day or Drama might be offended that I didn't invite him."

"Got it," E laughed. "So I'll see you then?"

"Yeah, I'll see you," Vince said. "I should probably go before Lena comes in. Tell the guys I said bye. I can't wait to see you, E."

"Me neither," Eric said. "Hey, Vin?"

"Yeah?"

"You know that I..."

"I know, E," Vince whispered onto the phone line. "I know."


	5. Chapter 5

Butterflies must have taken up permanent residence in Vince's stomach because by the time Sunday rolled around, he was feeling more nervous than he ever had in his life. He was known for being cool, calm and collected even in the face of the biggest stresses, but he was a mess waiting for Eric to show up. This day had the power to change everything that he had ever known because it would finally make all of this real. More than any conversation or poignant moment in his life, it had the potential to either perfect the world they had so carefully built or completely blow it apart.

"Man, you have got to calm down," Brett mumbled sleepily from his bed. Vince had already been up for hours, pacing the floor as the sun slowly made its way above the horizon. "I'd tell you to go grab a cup of coffee, but I think the last thing you need is caffeine. How much longer 'til your friend gets here?"

"He should be here any minute," Vince answered. Brett's parents had come up yesterday for his session, so he had the luxury of a few extra hours of sleep. Vince briefly felt bad for keeping him up until he remembered how his roommate hadn't shut up late last night with questions about Mandy Moore and Sara Foster. "I think I'm just going to go down to the lobby to wait."

"Good luck," Brett replied before rolling over and pulling the comforter over his head.

Vince let himself out of the room quietly and headed down to the lobby. He had dressed up for him, a soft cashmere sweater and a pair of perfectly relaxed designer jeans. He'd even ran his fingers through his hair and added a little product to his curly tresses so it looked like he had made some effort for E. It was a small thing but he knew that Eric would appreciate it. Vince never dressed up for anything and especially never for anyone.

Coming into the lobby, he wasn't surprised to find it empty other than the on-duty nurse. Smiling up at Lena, he nodded his head slightly before heading over to the coffee station to make himself a cup of hot tea. He liked to come down here sometimes and visit with the older lady. She was a wise woman and always kind. He had told her a little about Eric and a lot about why he was here.

"Good morning, darlin'. Your boy on his way?"

Vince grinned and ducked his head. "Yeah, he should be here any minute. I'm kinda nervous."

"That's natural. Just be you and you'll be fine. If what you tell me is true, your Eric cares about you quite a bit. One little awkward visit won't change that."

"I hope you're right," he retorted before taking a long sip of his drink. The two of them chatted for a few minutes before Lena excused herself to make rounds. Vince leaned back in his chair to enjoy the temporary silence of the facility. It would soon be crawling with activity as patients went to their sessions or for breakfast. He coveted the alone time as there really wasn't much of it in rehab. He was used to being surrounded by people, but being here had made him crave peace and quiet.

Just as he was about to fish around in the lounge sofa for the remote to the television, Vince spotted a sleek silver sports car making its way into the parking lot. He was out the door before Eric had pulled into his spot and yanking the car door open just as he killed the motor. Vince nearly yanked Eric out of the seat and into his arm, burying his face in his best friend's shoulder. "Hey, it's okay, I got you," E murmured softly, rubbing his hand over Vince's back.

"You're here," Vince whispered, looking briefly over E's shoulder to see if someone was watching before sliding his arms around his waist.

E pulled back and looked at Vince, their faces so close that they were nearly touching. "Where else would I be?" he asked with a small smile, allowing his hand to come up and cup Vince's cheek briefly. That was new. Vince had seen the move a million times on girls like Emily and Sloan, but this was the first time he had been on the receiving end. It was nice, the way his cheek seemed to fit perfectly in E's palm. His skin was soft. Vince loved soft skin. "C'mon, let's get inside and get some coffee in me. It was a long drive from the city and if I am going to stay awake during this session, I need caffeine."

Vince laughed and grabbed E by the wrist, pulling his friend after him. He only let go of him once they got to the door of the center, quickly slipping back into the role of E's best friend. They got Eric a cup of coffee and Vince refilled his tea before retiring to a quiet corner of the sun porch on the east side of the building. Their only company was a quiet older woman who had came into the center the same week as Vince for addiction to pain medicine. When she excused herself a few minutes later, they were left all alone.

"So what happens in these sessions?"

"Dr. Jameson wants to talk about my addiction and disease," Vince explained. "And he'll probably ask you some questions about stuff, what led up to it and the support team I have on the outside. I've told him a lot about this, about us. I'm sure that will come up too."

Eric shifted nervously in his seat. He had just gotten comfortable enough to broach the subject with Vince, and now, he was going to have to confess his feelings to a total stranger. However, as he looked into Vince's shining blue eyes, he knew that it would be worth it. This was about helping Vince. "Alright, I think we can manage that," E allowed. They were sitting at opposite ends of the sofa, a mile of cushion between them. E looked toward the doorway before moving closer to Vince, reaching across the couch to grasp his fingers. "Thanks for asking me to come here."

Vince squeezed E's fingers back with a firm nod. Just as he was about to say something else, Lena's voice came over the intercom, paging them to Dr. Jameson's office. "Ready for this?"

"Ready as I'll ever be," E shrugged as he reluctantly let go of Vince's hand. "You lead the way."

The two of them headed toward the west wing where the counselors' offices were housed. Vince could feel E's nervous energy bouncing off the walls as they slipped into Dr. Jameson's office. Vince introduced E to Dr. Jameson, the two of them exchanging a professional handshake before Vince asked his counselor how his daughter's soccer game went the night before. They exchanged their usual candor for a few minutes before Dr. Jameson set his dreaded yellow legal pad on the desk in front of him. Vince knew that was his signal to start the session.

"Eric, I want to explain the purpose of this session. As I am sure that Vincent has told you, we have these family sessions to foster open communications between our patients and their support teams. I felt it was important to have you here today in particular because it seems that you will be a critical part of Vincent's recovery. I take your presence as a signal that you are committed to helping him live clean and sober?"

"Nothing is more important to me, sir."

"Very good," Dr. Jameson nodded thoughtfully. "As you know, addiction is a very serious disease. It is chronic and something that Vincent will likely struggle with for the rest of his life. We aren't here to cure him of anything. We are here to teach him the skills and tools for coping with his problems. Vincent has made a lot of progress and I have complete faith that the outpatient program we are discussing for when he is released will only aide him in a sustainable sobriety."

"You're looking at after care?" E asked Vince, clearly impressed by his forethought and planning. "That's great, Vin."

"Vincent understands that he has a problem and actually asked for help after he gets out of here. I have promised to continue to see him once a week when I hold clinicals in the city and have already set him up with a sponsor. There are a lot of meetings near his home. He is also going to continue to go to a support group when he gets back to LA with a colleague of mine. He has taken the steps necessary to strengthen his commitment. Asking you here today is just another sign of that."

"E, you know that I have a problem. It nearly destroyed everything, including our friendship. I think I could have dealt with most of the fall out, but that day in court when I realized that I could lose the chance to see you every day, that was my rock bottom. I don't want to ever get us back in a place where that could be a possibility. That's why I wanted you here today. You've seen me at my worst and loved me. I am sorry that I ever had to put you through that. I'm getting a little bit stronger every single day, and I can't wait for the change to prove it to you."

E reached out and rested his hand on Vince's wrist. "You don't have to prove anything."

"Part of the recovery process is making amends, and this is Vincent's way of doing that," Dr. Jameson explained. "When he went through his list, you were the first person on it. There was nothing more important to him than that." Dr. Jameson flipped through his notepad to a few pages back. "Vincent told me that you two have discussed your relationship. While I would ordinarily encourage someone in his position to wait, he was adamant. After listening to Vince, I have to say that I am impressed with his resolve and devotion to building a strong relationship with you. He has assured me that you are as committed to this as he is, so I am hoping to hear some open discussion between you."

Vince turned and looked at Eric. "I know this is kind of awkward. I mean, we're still dealing with a lot of it on our own. There are a million ramifications of what this could mean for us both professionally and personally, but we both agreed that this is what we want," Vince said. "I'm not perfect. I'm completely screwed up. But I love you and I love who I am when I'm with you. The one thing they keep saying is how they are concerned that I'll relapse if something goes wrong. The thing they don't get, the thing that we both know, is that it won't. Because, I mean, event if it doesn't work, you'll still be there to love me. No matter what, I know that."

"And that's how I know," Eric said, locking eyes with Vince. "That's how I know that this relationship is what we both need. It's how I know that this relationship is forever. Dr. Jameson, the case against us have always been pretty incredible, but Vin and me, we defy all odds. I can honestly say that there is no one on this planet that I love before, and I knew that a long time before I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him. I don't know if that's what you wanted to here, but it's kind of all I have. I love Vince enough to support him through anything, I already have. I won't leave him when things get tough. I'm here for the long haul."

Dr. Jameson scribbled a few notes before handing a few books to Eric. "This is some literature that I recommend to patients' families. Vincent said that you are in a support group and are getting help of your own. I commend you for taking that initiative." He looked between the two of them and smiled warmly. "Eric, you are everything that Vincent said that you were. He speaks very highly of you, and it's quite evident every time he says your name that you are his very definition of love. While I can never say with total certainty that everything is going to be alright, I have a feeling about you two."

"Thank you, sir," Eric replied, his tone emphasizing just how much he meant it.

"No, thank you, Eric," Dr. Jameson replied. "I know that it's a long drive back from Los Angeles, but I feel much more confident now. I need to run down to the lobby for a few minutes, so I will give you a few minutes alone."

Vince thanked his counselor as he left, closing the door behind him. "E, I need to tell you something."

"You can tell me anything, Vin."

He walked over and knelt down on the floor in front of E, resting his hands on the man's knees, so that he was at eye level. "I love you."

"Vince," E whispered nearly inaudibly. There was a slow, careful, lazy smile on his lips. "Wow."

"Wow good?"

"Wow amazing," he grinned. "I love you, too."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," Eric muttered before leaning forward and capturing Vince's mouth in a perfect kiss.


	6. Chapter 6

"My name is Vincent Chase, and I have been sober for fifty-two days. I wish I could say that I walked in here of my own volition, but it took a very convincing speech from my best friend and a court order to get me to come to rehab. You see, I wasn't ready to accept that I had a problem. I truly thought that I was in control of my life. You'd think a fight with Eminem would have shown me that, right?"

Vince paused as the crowd laughed. He scanned the crowd until he found his family sitting in the second row, eyes fixed on him. He smiled first at his brother and then at Turtle, who nodded slightly in return. Ari was next to him, watching intently and ignoring the buzzing Blackberry inside his suit jacket pocket. Lloyd, Shauna and Christy finished out the row. However, in the middle of that row, smiling at him with a mix of encouragement and pride, was E.

"Well, that fight and the stint in jail that followed wasn't enough to convince that I had a problem. I thought that I had just caught a bad break when I was in the middle of having some fun. It was only after everyone else left that I realized what I had become. I was alone, in trouble and going through terrible withdrawals in the dingy floor of a jail cell. It should have been rock bottom. However, not even then did I truly believe that I had a problem. My rock bottom didn't come until just over a month ago when I walked into a courtroom and looked into the audience to see who was there to support me. When I saw only one other person, I realized what I had done."

E's face had turned serious as Vince recounted that day, the lowest of the low. They hadn't really spoken about that day in their sessions. In fact, he hadn't even mentioned court since E had dropped him off at rehab that very evening. He was grateful for those rare precious hours because they had literally changed his life for the better.

"I am very fortunate to have a great group of people in my life. I had always believed that no matter what I did, they would be there for me. I felt betrayed standing in that court room, wondering where these people had gone now that things had gotten a little tough. I resented them for hating me. I couldn't begin to understand how they couldn't be there for the hardest day of my life. I reasoned that I would have been there if it was one of them in my position. It was only after my time here and in talking to Dr. Jameson that I realized, in my state, I had all but abandoned them long before they didn't show up that day."

Johnny brushed a tear away unabashedly, while Turtle looked down at his feet more than he did Vince. Lloyd was long gone. Shauna and Christy were sitting stoically at his side, dabbing at their mascara-laden eyes with the corner of tissue. Even Ari seemed a little emotional.

"With a lot of thought, I have come to realize that they were there for me that day when they didn't show. By doing that, they refused to enable me in my addiction. It was a hard, very bitter pill to swallow, but I have come to understand why they made that decision. I am lucky that they are so good at forgiveness. They are here today, and I know that as long as I fight my addiction, I will have these people by my side. It is only when I lose the battle and refuse to seek help that I lose my family. It is up to me what happens. That is a very powerful blessing."

Vince returned his focus to Eric, who was busy fishing a tissue out of his jeans pocket to hand off to Turtle. He had to smile fondly at the two of them.

"Now some people are probably thinking that the person who did show up was an enabler, but the others had agreed that he should be there. The thing is, that person is probably the one who had the most reason to stay away. I am pretty sure that I put him through more than anything, but he never once gave up on me. He never told me that it was too hard to be in my life. He never stopped showing up day after day, trying to get me to see that I needed help. He didn't tell me that he had been right when I finally admitted that I had a problem. He didn't complain when he had to make a four-hour trip to visit me in a hospital every Sunday with only static on the radio to keep his company. He has been my saving grace, and I am not sure that I would even be a live if it hadn't been for him."

Eric rubbed the back of his neck im embarrassment, the slightest hint of scarlet making its way up his neck. Vince had always liked how easily his Irish skin blushed at the smallest compliment. He also liked the way that E had a private smile reserved only for him. He was privy to that smile now, and it was setting off the swarm of butterflies again.

"I've completed one month in this facility, thirty days that changed my life. I made amends with people. I took a deep look at the choices I was making in my life. I rediscovered what it means to be right with God and to appreciate his forgiveness. I have become more appreciative of my family and my friends. Most importantly, however, I have discovered who I am without drugs. I discovered who I am now that I have been through those things and have to find a way to crawl back out of it."

Vince looked down at his paper, willing himself not to get choked up. It had taken him four hours last night to write his speech. Dr. Jameson had stopped by before he left the center and ended up staying until after ten to help him finish it. Vince needed for it to say all the things he wanted to convey.

"But the biggest realization that I had while I was here is the power of love. I am talking truly unconditional love. Besides my mom, I never really had that with anyone in my life, or at least so I thought. And then in the midst of this chaos, I saw what had always been right there in front of me. It's a scary thing to realize, you know. I didn't even want to come to terms with it myself at first, let alone share it with a counselor or even the other person. But Dr. Jameson, in his very skillful way, managed to pry it out of me, and soon enough, I was speaking openly about how I felt. One week ago, I finally told that person exactly how I felt. Let me tell you all, no feeling has ever been better than that."

Ari exchanged a confused look with Shauna, and Vince could already see them working out the ramifications in their heads. Turtle looked a little more skeptical, while Johnny seemed to be trying to figure out who it was."

"I have had the same best friend since I was six. Eric Murphy was the guy who grew up down the block. He was mouthy and scrappy, but more than that, he was loyal. In the twenty-five years that we have been best friends, he has never once turned his back on me. Even when I thought he had, E was there in the wings, not-so-silently cheering me on. It was never more evident to me than the day he sat alone in the court room. And it became more and more clear to me with each day that we spent alone holed up in my house and then on his visits here."

Vince's eyes locked with Eric. They hadn't talked about coming out, but Vince couldn't leave here without the world knowing who he was. He looked to this other man, his other half, for permission to share that person. When E finally nodded, Vince took a deep breath of relief.

"What became clear is that I love E. I love him more than I have ever loved any other person and more than I can ever imagine loving anyone. He is the thing that I trust most in this world. When things were hard, he wasn't scared to fight with me. In fact, he was there every day, fighting right by my side. He fought with me, fought for me. Falling in love with him was the longest, scariest, most life-changing, best thing I have ever done."

Ari's jaw was dropped. Turtle looked like he felt completely awkward. Johnny seemed to still be confused. Shauna was horrified by the very public display. Christy looked mostly uncomfortable. And, God bless him, Lloyd was beaming as he clapped his hands in silent applause.

"So that's my story. That's why I got sober. That's why I will stay sober. It may not be the sanest thing I have ever done, but I am sure about my decision. The craziest part of all this is that E, well, he loves me right back. I have no doubt that we're going to go the distance. I just hope that our friends and our family are there to support us just like they have been there to support me."

The audience dissolved into loud applause, Dr. Jameson leading them to their feet. While each patient had received a standing ovation for their stories, Vince had to believe that his loudest. He was relieved to see his loved ones standing, clapping louder than anyone. He was even more relieved to see Eric beaming.

After the rest of the patients had said their speeches and they had dismissed into a nice casual reception, Vince sat with his Hollywood power team, his brother and his friend at a quiet table in the corner. Ari had started to freak out when E had told him in a quiet, stern and confident voice that there would be no negotiating this and that the agent should just deal with it. Shauna was already busy scribbling a statement with Christy on the back of the program, while Lloyd offered Vince up some advice on gay hotspots to check out.

"Alright, guys, I want to hear it," Vince said finally to Drama and Turtle. "Questions? Comments?"

"It's weird," Turtle admitted. "Unexpected. But we still love you, Vin. We might not love you in the same way that E does, but you guys are our family. We're not turning our back on you now."

"Yeah, Baby Bro," Johnny agreed, resting his hand on Vince's shoulder. "Besides, I think E will make one hell of a brother-in-law. He's already like family. This just sort of makes it officials."

"Hold up, Drama," Eric chuckled. "No one is getting married yet. We're just sort of figuring this out right now, but it's really nice to know that we have your support. Both of you, I mean it."

Turtle shook his head and laughed in disbelief. "C'mon, E, like we're not gonna have your back now? Are you crazy, man? It's the four of us against the world."

"Amen," Vince retorted, bumping his fist against Turtle's before resting his hand casually on E's knee. He was very aware that Ari was staring but he didn't care. "And thank you guys for coming here today to support me, all of you."

"Vince, baby, of course we're here," Ari said. "We've always been here."

"Yeah, honey, even when you screwed up, we weren't about to leave you hanging," Shauna promised. "We agreed that this approach was best, and luckily for us, it worked. You should really hang onto that manager of yours, honey. He's a genius."

Eric blushed as Vince squeezed his knee. "Yeah, he does good."

They talked for awhile before mingling with the rest of the patients and their families. Turtle and Drama met Brett, taking the chance to flirt with his older sister. Ari and Shauna talked to Dr. Jameson about a few things before heading out first, Lloyd and Christy following behind. Eventually, Drama and Turtle went to load Vince's luggage into the Escalade so that Vince could say his goodbyes.

"Well, man, good luck," Brett said after they hugged and shook hands. "I'm around if you need anything."

"Same here, you have my number," Vince reminded him. "Use it any time, alright?" Brett nodded before disappearing with his parents just as Lena was coming over. "Well, Miss Lena, I sure am going to miss our morning visits."

"Vincent, you sure have been a delight. I wish that we had met under better circumstances, but I am happy to see you going on your way. You're a good boy, Vincent. I told you a long time ago that you were going to do just fine. I still believe that. And if you ever temporarily lose your way, remember that we're right here. You just call Miss Lena, and I will come get you myself, you hear?"

"I do, Miss Lena," he smiled before walking into her open arms. He hugged the maternal figure tightly. "I don't say this too easily, Miss Lena, especially not to women. I just want to know that I love you."

"I love you too, Vincent," she said softly, patting his back, before turning to Eric. "You take care of this one, okay? He's pretty special, and from the way you look at him, I think you know that already."

"I do, ma'am," E confirmed.

Lena gave Vince one last hug before excusing herself to the bathroom to fix her makeup. There was only one other person for Vince to say goodbye to before he left. He found Dr. Jameson drinking a cup of coffee alone at a table, content to just watch. Vince sat down across from him, E standing behind him.

"Any last words of advice, Doc?"

"Be kind to each other and stay clean," Dr. Jameson said. "Remember that and you'll do just fine."

"It's that easy, huh?" Vince asked.

Dr. Jameson shook his head. "Vincent, I think we both know it's never that easy."

"That we do," he concurred. "I'll see you next week, right?"

"First thing Tuesday morning," Dr. Jameson answered. "Now get out of here. You're free. Carpe diem, my friend. Enjoy your life."

"Thank you, Dr. Jameson," E said, extending his hand. "For everything."

"It was my pleasure, Eric," Dr. Jameson said before standing up. He looked Vince in the eye before hugging him. "I'm proud of you, Vincent. Never forget all the work that you have done."

With that, Vince allowed Eric to take his hand and walk him out of the rehab center. They waited together at the curb, staring up at the faciliry, just waiting for Turtle to pull up front. It had been a long month, but it was finally over. They were going home – together. Vince never could have predicted that or hoped for it a month ago, but now, he couldn't imagine any other outcome. He leaned forward impulsively and kissed E, catching him off guard for a moment before he returned the tender gesture. It was only when Turtle laid on the horn and E lifted up his middle finger that the spell was broken. Vince could only turn his face up toward the sun and savor the moment. His thirty days were complete.

**Fin.**


End file.
